MarLeClair

I have started using Elmer's glue to attach my binding instead of pinning it. I think that helps to keep from stretching the binding. There is a good tut on youtube.

mic-pa

Sprice is right, Lay you border down the middle of the quilt first and cut to that length, Then pin them to either side and ease in any that needs to be. Then sew and press. then take the top and bottome border and measure across the middle horizontallly and repeat the process. You won't have wavy borders.

luana

[QUOTE=feline fanatic;7036216]That isn't very wavy. I am wondering if you are stretching your binding while applying it. That could be causing this little tiny bit of wave. Here is a good blog posting about possible causes of wavy borders.
http://www.apqs.com/blog/2013/06/11/...-wavy-borders/

This is very good information about sewing on the binding. My edges usually look just like NanaPam and I am always very careful about measuring borders. I think the culprit is how I attach the binding. Thanks, feline fanatiac :-)

lclang

Cut borders on the lengthwise grain if possible and then when you sew the border on the quilt make sure the border fabric is UP so the feed dogs won't be able to pull the border fabric faster than the main quilt fabric. Or use a walking foot.

ManiacQuilter2

This is the correct reason for large waves. You might want to starch your borders so they don't shift. I use pins on my borders to keep them accurate. You might stitch around your quilt with an 1/8" seam before attaching your binding.

Geri B

Baste stitching around the edge of your pieced center before adding the borders is a good idea as mentioned along with the Measuring, centering, easing, if necessary, as all mentioned in the prior posts, and using that walking foot to attach the binding certainly is a must.......learned all that after my first few quilts waved at me after finishing.....no more!!!!!

maviskw

The directions for making and applying borders on this thread are all excellent. One time I couldn't measure from the center of the quilt because it was a twister quilt, and everything was on the bias. With that one I knew that each block was supposed to measure 4.5 inches, so I counted blocks and measured the borders. Worked very well.

But when I apply binding, I stretch it. Not really stretch hard, but I smooth the quilt edge out for the next few inches of sewing, lay my binding over that and pull, just a little, enough to make the binding taut. Then I put my finger down on that to hold it in that position and sew those few inches. Smooth the next piece of edge, lay the binding taut, and sew again. That way you are taking up the slack on the edge that the quilting did in the middle. I don't have wavy edges on my quilts.
(When I'm smoothing out the edge of the quilt, I have to make sure the backing is under there. Once in a while it decides to fold back away from the edge.)

citygirlsews

I had this same problem before I took Quilt University Class 101. You have to have a perfectly squared quilt top before you add the borders. Measure your quilt top and measure again. Use a walking foot to sew on the borders. I have not had a wavy border since doing this.

romanojg

Because you aren't squaring them off. Once a quilt is done you need to measure the sides and middle, which probably won't be the same, each side is normally different as each end. Kind of average them out. I'm not good at explaining it but there are great tutorials on squaring them up. The main thing is, when you put the sides on, both side strips will be the same size, you may have to ease the fabric in so that you don't end up with pleats and you do the same with the ends. If your outside strips are all the same size then your quilt won't be wavy. I hope someone can explain this better but this is your problem. A lot of people just sew a strip of fabric down the side and cut off the end, and they do the same with the end pieces, then you get wavy ends because they are different sizes.

SusanSusan33

I love your quilt and didn't notice anything wavy!! I think we are all our worst critics!!